Air purifying and air compressing apparatus



March 6 1R. FOLMER D 2,371,344

1.1 1-PURIFYING AND AIR-COMPRESSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1940 II N Hull

(not shown). The main purpose of the springpressed pressure-opened valve 24 is to retain a predetermined pressure of air in the pressuretank and the secondary tank, and to permit air to enter the pipe 25 and assume a lower pressure than in the pressure-tank when the tank-pressure exceeds the spring-pressure of valve 24; for it is desirable that ,a greaterpressure, hence a greater amount of air, be retained in the pressure-tank than is necessary in a container from which to, dispense beer or other" liquid.

The motor I is preferably an electric-motor whose circuit is diagrammatically shown in Fig.

2, and includes a transformer 26, a spark-coil 21, is v.

submerged in liquid when in said primary tank, air-moving means to draw air from the upper and one or more spark-plugs 28. The power-con; ductors 29 are electrically connected to the motor-circuit and are provided with a manually" operated switch 30 and a pressure-operated' switch 3| of any appropriate type; so, when pres}- sure in'the tank 5 exceeds a predetermined normal it opens the'switch 3i and cuts out the mo,-. tor-circuit, but when the air-pressure in the tank a 5 is reduced below the predetermined normal, the inherent spring-action of the expansible and contractible switch-element 3Ia closes the switch 3|, energizes the motor-circuit, and starts the motor, thus causing the air-pump or compressor 8-9-3 to suck air, from the atmosphere,

through the filter l8, washer l5--l 6 and pipe l4;

then to force the filtered and once-washed air through the port llib'andpipe l2, into the prese sure-tank 5. This tank 5 traps particles ofsolid and heavy matter that goes to the bottom of the tank when thecompressor has forced-such matter into and down through considerablemomentum.

the pipe l2 at a Pressure in the tank 5 causes the filtered and once-washedair to passthru. the pipe 21 and water 20 into the upper part of the secondaryv tank l9,- and now, the air having been again washed, by the water 20, it remains under pres- 1 sure unitl the predetermined amount of pressure is-exceeded, whereupon, the valve 24 opens andv permits the filtered and twice-washed air. to be,

delivered to its destination. i

Spark-plugs 28 -are shown only in the pipes I2 and 25; and while-only one spark-plug has a beneficial eifect in sterilizing or ozonizing the 'air that comes into contact therewith, any, appropriate number of spark-plugs or other, heating devices may besimilarly used in any one of; the jpipes l2, I4, 2| or 25,01 in all of them; but for most purposes, the two shown in pipes l2 and, 25

are sufficient and practical, for by them, the air is sterilized just before entering'the air-pressure tank 5, and again sterilized livered through the pipe 25.

From theforegoing, it will be'seen that thorn? ter [8 obstructs the passage of insects, dust eta, that would otherwise enter the liquid I 6 and makeit impure; that the distribution and upward pass ing of the filtered air through the water'or liquid l6 washes out very fine dust, smoke and fumes,

} also certain forms of bacteria or disease germs; and thatthe quick repetition of sparks; at the spark-plug in the pipe l2, kills most or many of the-germs thatmay be present in the filtered and just before, being 'deonce-washed air. Moreover, in case of .-anyv pos sible entry of fumes or gas into the pressure tank 5, they are intercepted either by the liquid in the sparksat the secondary tank 19, or by the electric valve 32 know the degree of pressure at any time, a pres sure-gage or indicator 33 may be provided.

Although I have described this form of my invention quite specifically, I do not intend to limit part of said primary tank and, thereby draw air through said liquid when liquid is in and around said air-inlet pipe so as to primarily wash the air before it enters said airmoving means, airconducting means that includes an air-pressure. tank into which the primarily washed air is forced by said air-moving means, said air+pressure tank being in open communication with'the lower part of said secondary tank and adapted to expel primarily washed compressed air into liquid when liquid is in said secondary tank so as to wash from the air any impurityit may have received from said air-moving means, said air-moving. means being operable and effective for forcing the primarily washed air through said air-conducting means, said secondary tankbeing provided with an air-outlet port for deliveringtwicewashed air to a predetermined destination, and means in said air-outlet port to introduce electric sparks into the twice-washed air. I

' 2. The combination defined by claiml, and

means to introduce electric sparks into the primarily washed air before n a 3. In a compact unitary apparatus for supply ing pure airunder pressure, the combination of an air-pressure tank having inlet and outlet openings in its upper end, a frame united with the upper end of said air-pressure tank and b'e-,

i'ng inclusive of a lower floor-and an upper floor, and an air-compressor -chamber, air-conducting means in communication with said air-compressor-chamber and in open communication with,

said inlet opening of said air-pressure tank, a

motor seated and secured on ;said lower fio0r,.a i

primary tank for holding a body of air-washing liquid, a secondary tank for holding a second body of airwashing liquid, said tanks being positioned on said upper floorabove-said motor, air-com ducting means to conduct air into liquid inthe primary tank and thereby primarily. wash the marily washed air from the primary tank ,into said air compressor-chamber, a piston in said air-compressor-chamber and operatively connected to said motor forforcing primarily washed air into the first-said air-conducting means and thence into said air-pressure tank, and air-conductingmeans to conduct air from the outletopening of said air-pressure tankinto liquid in said secondary tank and thereby wash from said from said air-compressor-chamber.

primarily washed air any impurities it has brought ,4.,-The combination defined: by claim 3, and

means to'introduce electric sparks into the twicewashedairas it flows from saidsecondary tank. .5. The combination defined by claim 3,-andmeans in the first-said air-conducting means to it enters the pressurewashing liquid, a secondary tank for holding a second body of air-washing liquid, an air-inlet pipe having an open lower end in a position to be submerged in liquid when in said primary tank, air-moving means, to draw air from the upper part of said primary tank and thereby 3 pressure tank being in open communication with the lower part of said secondary tank and adapted to expel primarily washed compressed air into liquid when liquid is in said secondary tank so as to wash from the air any impurity it may have received from said-air-moving means, said air-moving means being operable and efiec tive for forcing primarily washed air through said air-conducting means, said secondary tank being provided with an air-outlet port for delivering twice-washed airto a predetermined destination.

8. In an air-purifying apparatus that includes a liquid-holding portion for washing air as it passes through liquid therein, air-conducting means to conduct air into said liquid-holding portion, airconducting means to conduct air from said liquidholding portion, means to introduce electric draw air through liquid when liquid is in and around said air-inlet pipe'so as to primarily wash the air before it enters said air-moving means, and air-conducting means that includes an airpressure tank into which the primarily washed air is forced by said air-moving means, said airsparks into the first said air-conducting means, and means to introduce electric sparks into the second said air-conducting means, whereby the air, is afl'ected by the electric sparks bothbefore and after being washed.

' JOHN R. FOLMER. 

